The Runnin’ Utes have spent the last two weeks living out of hotels, grinding through a tough, travel-heavy stretch that included three-straight road games before finally returning to Salt Lake City. The Utes went 2–2 across the run, showing flashes of what their backcourt can be while also dealing with some late-game issues they are still trying to clean up under first-year head coach Alex Jensen.
Utah vs. Grand Canyon
Utah opened the road swing on Nov. 25 in Palm Desert, California, where the Utes fell 68-58 to Grand Canyon in a game that never felt totally in their control. Utah’s defense actually held up, keeping the Lopes without a made three and forcing long scoring droughts, but GCU lived at the free-throw line while Utah struggled to generate its own chances. Don McHenry led the Utes with 16 points, and Keanu Dawes added a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. The Utes couldn’t match Grand Canyon’s physicality down the stretch.
Utah vs. Ole Miss
The next night, Utah turned around and played its most resilient game of the trip. The Utes edged Ole Miss 75–74 in another late-night tip inside Acrisure Arena to grab third place in the Acrisure series. McHenry went off for 27 points on 10 for 15 shooting, including five threes, and basically carried Utah through long stretches of the game. Terrence Brown hit clutch free throws with nine seconds left, and the Utes survived after Ole Miss failed to get the final shot off.
It was the kind of win that showed what this team can be when its guards get rolling. Utah shot better than 52% from deep and handled an SEC opponent on a neutral floor, something that has not been done in recent years.
Utah at California
After a few days, back at home, Utah traveled again, this time to Berkeley on Dec. 2. The Utes came out hot against Cal, jumping out to a 25–17 lead after Brown strung together a few steals, transition buckets, and an early scoring burst for the Utes. But Utah’s offense stalled right before halftime, Cal ripped off a 22–5 run that flipped the game completely. Utah battled to cut the deficit to 70–68 late, but once again the scoring dried up when it mattered, and the Utes fell 79–72.
It was a balanced night for Utah, with five players in double figures, but the late-game execution issues resurfaced on the road once again.
Utah vs. Cal Baptist
Back inside the Huntsman Center on Dec. 6, the Runnin’ Utes looked more comfortable in a 91–85 win over Cal Baptist, even if rebounding problems popped up again. The Lancers out-rebounded Utah 47–30, grabbed 31 second-chance points and out-scored the Utes 48–28 in the paint, something Utah head coach Alex Jensen said his team has to fix soon.
“They had 17 more shots than us, which makes it hard to win a game, but we did a good job,” Jensen said. “Our guards did a really good job of ending up with only nine turnovers and did a good job with the pace and not trying to force it, and playing with the pass. I’m happy for our guys. No win is easy, and a lot of credit to Cal Baptist.”
Terrence Brown stayed aggressive all night, scoring 27 points with transition buckets and clutch free throws. McHenry added 21, and Jacob Patrick went three for three from deep in his return to the starting lineup. Even with Utah leading for nearly the entire game, Cal Baptist guard Dominique Daniels Jr. kept the Lancers close with 31 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.
“It takes five guys,” Jensen said. “I give credit to Cal Baptist, but that’s only going to get harder on the offensive board. It’s something we will keep pounding because if we get the rebound, then we get to play offense, which is what everybody wants to do.”
Next, the Utes head downtown on Dec. 13 for a neutral site rematch with Mississippi State inside the Delta Center as part of the Salt Lake showdown. Utah is 0–2 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 78–73 loss last season in Southhaven, Mississippi. Those two matchups have been close, but Mississippi State has controlled the final minutes both times. With Brown and McHenry playing at a high level and Dawes emerging as a steady two-way piece, Utah has a chance to flip that script in front of a large local crowd.
For a team still figuring things out under a new head coach, the past four games showed both the problems and the potential. Now, Utah gets a chance to see how it stacks up against another power conference opponent on a big stage just minutes from campus.
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